Sneaker



p 2. 1969 D. H. coNwAY 3,464,125

SNEAKER Filed Jan. 9, 1967 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 t B m mvroe DAVID H.CUNWAYD. H- CONWAY Sept. 2, 1969 SNEAKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1967lowmlmlmlllmmnm //vr//vr0/e DAVID H. CONWAY United States Patent O3,464,125 SNEAKER David H. Conway, 368 S. Goodman St., Rochester, N.Y.14607 Filed Jan. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 608,096 Int. Cl. A431) /10, 23/28,7/16 US. Cl. 362.5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to a sneaker having supportmeans for engaging and restraining foot elongation and other stresses.

One of the most common foot troubles that originates from usingsneakersand in particular tennis sneakers is that damage to one foot arises fromfoot elongation. When one wearing sneakers such as a tennis sneakerstops suddenly or quickly and suddenly changes direction there is atendency for the foot to elongate or spread. Quite frequently thiselongation forces the toes against the ends of the sneakers. Thiselongation in turn often results in sore toes or injuries which in someinstances are termed athletes foot on the toenail. This is a type ofinjury in which the enlarged toenail becomes discolored. The presentinvention is designed to overcome this difficulty by providing means forpreventing foot elongation.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION These means preferably are in the form of aflexible resilient fabric band means secured to the shoe and designed tofit over the wearers instep and which restrains the instep against theforward elongation. This fabric band is also designed to prevent undueflattening of the inner arch and further acts as a massager because ofits resilient stretchable consistency.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The present invention is also designed toprovide a pad of deformable material in the toe region so as to permitdeformation of the sole upon application of pressure through the wearerstoe. These and other objects and advantages of the present inventionwill be more clearly understood when considered in conjunction with thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a tennis sneaker embodying myinvention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross sectional view taken along the line 22 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat schematical cross sectional view taken along theline 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partially cross sectioned side elevation with a crosssectioned portion taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional elevation of a modification of the preferredembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 with a cross section of FIG.5 taken along a line Patented Sept. 2, 1969 substantially similar to thecross sectional view of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will bedescribed primarily in conjunction with a tennis sneaker. However, itshould be understood that the invention herein disclosed may be embodiedin footwear of other designs for other purposes, and in particular inother types of athletic footwear.

A tennis sneaker 1 is formed with a conventional outer sole 2 of rubberor similar material and an upper 3 which may be formed of canvas orother suitable material conventionally used in fabrication of sneakers.A conventional rubber toepiece 4 may be formed on a sneaker. The sneakeris preferably formed with a relatively high rear quarter 7 having anupper edge 5 substantially higher than the height of a conventionaltennis sneaker. Dotted line 6 illustrates the location of the upper edgeof a conventional tennis sneaker which as illustrated would ordinarilyextend just below the heel of the wearer. The sneaker is conventionallyprovided with a tongue (not shown) and eyelets 8 through which ashoelace 9 may be threaded in a usual fashion. Preferably an extraeyelet 10 at the upper end of the top of each row of eyelets is providedso that the extra height of the snaker may be accommodated.

Positioned above the outer sole 2 and outer sole liner 2A and preferablysecured to the upper surface of the outer sole 2 or to a midsole are apair of wedges 12 and 13 (FIG. 3). Wedge 12 is a heel wedge whichborders the inner side 15 of the sneaker from the instep area 16rearwardly, to the rear 17 of the heel. This heel wedge covers only theinner portion of the heel and may have a thickness that will varydepending upon the size of the shoe and the desired elevation up to athickness of approximately A. The edges of the wedge 12 are preferablyskived as illustrated at 18 to present a feathered edge. The wedge 13 isa wedge located in the instep region from a transverse line 19 thatpreferably defines the for- 'ward portion of the Wedge 12 forwardly to aforward edge 20 that is about aligned with the forward edge of theinstep of the shoe. Preferably this wedge 13 is also skived to form afeathered edge as illustrated at 21. This wedge 13 may be positioned onthe outer side 24 only of the shoe. The wedge 13 may be a thicknessequal to the thickness of the wedge 12. Also positioned above the uppersurface of the outer sole liner 2A is a wedge of kneadable or deformablenonresilient material forming a pad 28 of about the same thickness aswedges 12 and 13. This pad or wedge 28 is designed to be deformed by thetoe pressure of the wearer. This material will retain an impression ofthe wearers toes as impressed through the inner sole 29.

Positioned above pad 28 and wedges 12 and 13 is a lift 29A. This lift29A extends from the heel forwardly to the metatarsal area. The lift 29Ais tapered preferably from a thickness of about of an inch at the heelto a feathered edge at the metatarsal area. This lift covers the wedges12 and 13 and functions to raise the heel and thereby relieve pressuretensions on the calf muscles. This lift functions cooperatively with thebands hereafter described that engage the instep to restrain the foot ofthe wearer in a comfortable position with tensions in the calf musclesrelieved while at the same time the bands restrain undesired forwardthrust of the foot.

Positioned above lift 29A is a cellular inner sole 29 of conventionalshape but preferably having a thickness of at least A". The uppersurface of the inner sole 29 is conventionally covered with fabric ormaterial as illus trated in 30.

Means are provided in the shoe to engage in the instep area of thewearers foot and hold the foot securely within the shoe against stressesthat tend to elongate the foot and force it forwardly toward the toe ofthe shoe. These means cooperate with lift 29A and comprise primarily afirst fabric band 40. This fabric band 40 is preferably formed of anelongated resilient stretchable material such as an elastic fabricmaterial. The fabric material is generally formed into shape having endsections 41 and 42 interconnected by an intermediate bight section 44(FIG. 2). These end sections 41, 42 extend upwardly on either side ofthe sneaker at the instep region immediately adjacent and on the innerside of the upper. The bight section 44 is positioned parallel to theinner face of insole 30 and is connected to the lower or inner ends ofthe end sections 41 and 42. This first fabric band section 40 is securedto the shoe by means of a second flexible fabric band 50 made preferablyof the same material from which the first fabric or band is made. Thesecond flexible fabric band is positioned entirely within the shoe andis U-shaped with legs 51 and 52 interconnected by a bight section 53 toform a U-shaped member with the bight of the U extending around the heelor rear quarter of the sneakers upper. The bight section 53 is suitablysecured to the rear quarter of the upper by stitching 54 and 55 or byother suitable means. The integrally connected legs 51 and 52 in turnare secured to the inner or lower portion of the end sections 41 and 42respectively by stitching 56 or other suitable means.

Means are provided for adjustably securing the free ends of the bandsections to one another so that they may be tightened over the top ofthe wearers instep. Preferably these means comprise a material commonlyknown as Velcro. This material consists of interengageable pads ofmaterial. One pad 60 of material comprises a fuzz or like materialsuitably formed or secured on a base fabric. The other pad comprises aseries of small hook-like members that are made of material such asnylon and illustrated at 61. These hook-like members are anchored at oneend in a base fabric and are free at their hook end to engage the otherpad 60 when pressed into contact with it. The pad 60 is secured to theouter surface of leg 41 which in turn is positioned on the instep sideof the shoe. The hook-like members 61 are secured to the inner or lowersurface of section 42 and are adapted to be laid over pad 60 in facingrelation with it for adjustably interengaging end sections 41 or 42. Thesneaker may also be formed with a loop 70 secured to the rear of thesneaker by suitable and conventional means.

Also contemplated by the present invention is modification of thepreferred embodiment. Except as otherwise described this modification isthe same as the preferred embodiment. End sections 41 and 42 are formedof separate lengths of flexible resiliently stretchable fabric materialinstead of being integrally connected by bight 44, with these separatesections 41 and 42 being anchored or otherwise suitably secured at theirinner or lower ends to the sole construction of the sneaker by asuitable means. The said second flexible fabric band 50' is optional inthis construction.

In FIG. there is shown a modification of the invention in which theconstruction is similar to that previously described except as otherwisedescribed herein. In this con struction the bands 41A and 42B are formedsimilarly to the end sections 41 and 42 of band 40 of the preferredmodification. However, these bands 41A and 42A are separately formed andare attached to the sneaker only at their lower ends 43A with the lowerends of these bands suitably anchored by cement or other means to theouter sole 2 at 44A by means such as cement or the like. These bands 41Aand 42A may be used in the same fashion as the band 40 previouslydescribed.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a footwear construction with an upper having a rear quarter, meanspositioned within the footwear construction for engaging the wearersfoot comprising:

a pair of fabric band sections with each having one end adapted toextend above the inner sole and below and under the arch of the wearersfoot at the instep region and the other end adapted to extend over thetop of the wearers foot at the instep region forward of the ankle, meanssecuring each of said band sections at said one end to said footwear,and means for adjustably interengaging said free ends of said fabricbands, said fabric band sections and said interengaging means arrangedto secure the foot and hold it against forces that tend to elongate thefoot and force it toward the toe area of the footwear construction.

2. A footwear construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fabricband sections comprise a single first band of resiliently stretchablematerial with said fabric band sections integrally connected by anintermediate section which normally extends above the inner sole andbelow the arch of the wearers foot whereby said intermediate section maybe engaged about arches of the wearers foot to restrain undueflattening.

3. A construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means securingsaid band sections comprises a second flexible fabric band formed in agenerally U-shaped and lying within said rear quarter, said U-shapedfabric having a pair of legs interconnected by a bight section,stitching extending through said bight section and into said rearquarter thereby securing said U-shaped fabric to said footwear, andmeans securing said legs one to each of said ends.

4. A construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said fabric bandsections comprise a single first band of resiliently stretchablematerial integrally connected by an intermediate section which normallyextends below the arch of the wearers foot, said second flexible fabricband is resiliently stretchable and said first fabric band is securedonly to said legs of said second fabric band with at least some portionof said legs adjacent said second fabric band free of said rear quarter.

5. A construction as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means foradjustably interengaging said free ends of said fabric bands comprise apad with a face of fibrous fuzz and a pad with a face of projectinghooked bristles adapted removeably interengaged by application ofpressure thereto, said pads secured one to each of the free end of saidfabric band sections.

6. A construction as set forth in claim 5 wherein one pad is secured tothe upper surface of the fabric band section on the instep side of thesneaker and the other pad is secured to the lower surface of the fabricband section on the outer side of the footwear, when said band sectionsare wrapped about the wearers foot.

7. A construction as set forth in claim 6 having an inner sole formed ofresilient compressible cellular material, a pair of wedges adjacent saidinner sole, one of said wedges extending from the instep rearwardly andcovering the inner portion of the heel, the other of said wedgescovering the outer side of the instep only.

8. A construction as set forth in claim 7 having a deformable materialpositioned adjacent said innersole at the toe area adapted to be moldedby application of pressure from the wearers toe.

9. A construction as set forth in claim 1 having a lift positioned inthe heel area and tapered from the heel to a feathered edge in the areaof the metatarsal region.

10. A footwear construction as set forth in claim 1 having a pair ofwedges adjacent the inner sole, one of the wedges extending from theinstep rearwardly and covering 5 6 at least the inner portion of theheel, the other of said FOREIGN PATENTS wedges covering the outer sideof the instep only. 232,654 5/1959 Australizh References Cited OTHERREFERENCES UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 The Master Shoe Rebuilder by JamesNatale, Vol. 10,

1,286,787 12/1918 Rokahr 36-25 X 10; ember 1950;

2,539,761 1/1951 Whitman 36-25 3,015,896 1/1962 Breslow 36 58.5 PATRICKW Prlmary E m r 3,327,410 6/1967 Park et a1. 36-25 US. Cl. X.R.

2,095,277 10/1937 Musebeck 128-614 10 36-S8.5;128-614

